


Flight of Fancy

by Geeklovefan



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Cheese, F/M, Fluff, No really brush your teeth after reading, Post-Hogwarts, Snape is so OOC, Sorry Not Sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-20
Updated: 2020-05-20
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:34:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24283687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Geeklovefan/pseuds/Geeklovefan
Summary: It took Slytherin cunning and Gryffindor courage, but Hermione did indeed overcome her fear of flying.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Severus Snape
Comments: 7
Kudos: 81





	Flight of Fancy

**Author's Note:**

> Should I be working on at least three other stories? Sure. Am I? Obviously not. This flew into my head this afternoon and I banged it out in about ten minutes, so hold the scorn, please and thank you. :)

_ May, 2001 _

The first time he asked her, she thought he was talking about a broomstick.

She snorted, shooting him a skeptical look. “Not bloody likely,” she muttered. “You can’t tell me that my fear of getting on a broomstick wasn’t legendary at Hogwarts. I know for a fact that Hooch told the entire faculty about how I dry-heaved after my pathetic attempt on the flying O.W.L.”

“Who said anything about a broomstick?” he smirked.

There was a beat of silence and then her eyes grew huge as the knut dropped. She backed away, as if afraid he’d snatch her up and take off at any moment.

“No, Severus,” she said emphatically. “Actually…not ‘no,’ but HELL NO.”

OoOoO

In the end, the deciding factor was the look of sheer doubt and insecurity on his face as he quietly said, “Don’t you trust me, Hermione? Do you think I would ever let harm come to you?”

She stared at him, a look of resigned frustration on her face, for she knew he was straddling a line between sincerity and Slytherin guile.

She huffed out a breath. “You bloody. Fecking. Slytherin. Bastard. If you drop me, I will rise from the grave and if you think I’m a pain in the arse now, it will be nothing compared to what I put you through for the rest of your miserable existence,” she ground out.

Severus only smirked. “Well, you got one thing right. You’re definitely a pain in the arse.”

And before Hermione could react, he had grabbed her around her ribcage, leaving her arms and legs free to wrap around him like Devil’s Snare, and before she could blink, they were at least 200 feet up in the air.

OoOoO

Severus threw his head back and let loose with an honest-to-god, belly-deep laugh as he listened to Hermione shrieking into his chest. He squeezed her tighter and pressed a kiss into the curls that were flying every which way. “I’ve got you, my love,” he crooned, the smile in his voice plain to hear. “I’ve got you.”

He continued flying and after a moment, he felt her head peek up as if through some great feat of courage. She gasped and Severus smiled without looking at her, his eyes on the sun setting upon the horizon ahead. “Look,” he murmured, nodding his head toward the sight. Hermione gasped and Severus took that brief moment of distraction to dive down to a small island in the Black Lake—it was so far removed from Hogwarts that the castle was barely visible in the distance. Hermione screeched once more at the dive, and buried her head in Severus’ chest. When they were once more on solid ground, she stood for a moment, and then tentatively lifted her head, daring to peep one eye open. She sucked in a breath of surprise as she took in the sight. Everyone she loved—her parents, the entire Weasley family, Harry, Minerva McGonagall, Neville, Luna, Seamus, Dean, Blaise, Draco—they were all there, surrounding an enormous bonfire, as her father kept vigil over the cooking meats on a portable grill nearby. Before she could react further, Severus stepped aside with a flourish and loudly announced, “Ladies and gentlemen, it is my great privilege and distinct honor to introduce the newly-minted Mistress of Potions, Hermione Granger!” Cheers, whistles, and applause rang out from the crowd, and Hermione felt a distinct swell of emotion at the joyous looks of pride her parents displayed. Harry, Ron, and Ginny surged forward and enveloped her in a group hug full of laughter and tears. Hermione huffed out a tearful laugh and swiped at her eyes.

 _“Thank you,”_ she mouthed at Severus, looking back over her shoulder at him. A tiny smile that went all the way to his eyes was his only response, but it was enough.

Severus cleared his throat and stepped forward once more. “A big thank you to Drs. David and Helen Granger for providing the refreshments for this celebration. I am reliably informed that Dr. David is a master at the grill, so please enjoy. Mr. Potter has graciously provided the liquid refreshment, and Mrs. Weasley coordinated the entire affair. I thank you all.” He swallowed, trying to hide his sudden nervousness. “Before the merriment proceeds any further, there is one more item to address. As you all know, it is customary for a master to bestow a gift upon his or her apprentice at the completion of the mastery. Therefore, since our Mistress Granger has received her official certificate of mastery today, I feel it necessary to present her with this small token of congratulations.” With a small flourish and a half bow, he presented to Hermione a small, flat, rectangular box wrapped in silver paper. It was a bit bigger than the palm of his hand.

Hermione accepted the gift with a shy smile, and glanced around as if unsure whether she should open it right away. “Go ahead,” Severus prodded, nodding toward the box.

Hermione slipped the paper from the box and opened it before covering her mouth with a loud gasp.

“Oh, Severus,” she whispered. “This is too much.” Her eyes were filling with tears as she looked up at him.

“Nonsense,” he responded blithely, offering her a clean handkerchief.

Hermione swiped quickly at her nose and eyes before turning the jewelry case around to the curious audience. Audible gasps were heard as she showed off the matching diamond and emerald earrings and necklace. Both pieces were exceptionally elegant and classy while staying understated.

Hermione began to say something to all of those gathered when Severus suddenly interrupted. “Oh!” he exclaimed, as if he was a dunce. “I almost forgot—it won’t do for you to wear beautiful jewelry like that without something to match, will it?”

And to the surprise of every single person present on that island, Severus Snape dropped to one knee and presented Hermione with another small box, this time opened to reveal a diamond and emerald engagement ring.

Utter silence reigned. The only sound was the gentle lapping of the lake against the rocky sand and the distant cry of the occasional owl.

The state of affairs persisted for perhaps ten seconds before Severus spoke. “Hermione Granger,” he choked out, and no one present could believe that they were hearing Severus Snape on the verge of tears. “You have saved my life, given me life, and shown me life, in every way I can think of. The only way I can possibly imagine topping all of that is if you would agree to share my life—for now and forever. Hermione, would you consent to be my wife?”

For a split second, Harry Potter would have bet the life of his yet-to-be-produced firstborn that Hermione was on the verge of passing out. She swayed in place, and then recovered admirably, dropping to her knees in the sand before her lover and throwing her arms around his neck.

“Yes, of course, you great bat!” she cried, laughing and crying simultaneously.

Severus pulled back and gave her a mock glare. “I should skin you for potions ingredients,” he growled, before his expression turned sly, making Hermione’s gut twist with dread. “However,” he drawled—and promptly grabbed her tightly around the waist and shot straight up, lightning-quick, until they were flying 500 feet above the island below.

Hermione shrieked in equal parts joy and fear. “Severus!!!” she screamed, laughing joyously, “put me down, you great pillock! Aughh! Are you trying to kill me? Surely you could do this with less trauma to me if you just used one of your nasty potions!”

Severus laughed heartily. “I shall make you pay for that, my dear,” he growled into her ear before sneaking a kiss.

OoOoO

It took time, indeed, for Hermione to truly get used to flying with Severus, but the majority of that battle was won the night he proposed. She rarely asked him to fly her, and he rarely offered, because no matter what it had become to _them_ , he could never quite forget that his ability to fly was, at its root, a gift from the Dark Lord. Nonetheless, they always flew at least twice a year—on her birthday and on the anniversary of the date she attained her mastery and he proposed. There were occasionally other times that he would indulge her, but it was a rare thing.

It became something of a Hogwarts badge of honor for a student to catch a glimpse of the Headmaster and his wife, the renowned Potions Mistress and Head of Gryffindor, flying above the ancient castle, a trail of black smoke in their wake. Purported sightings were generally taken at face value, and the lucky student would preen as he or she regaled the other students with what was witnessed—right up until the night that a Muggleborn student—one of Hermione’s own cubs—loudly challenged a chuffed Ravenclaw, “Pictures or it never happened, Markham!”

And that’s when Hogwarts’ unofficial, underground, street cred quest began—get a picture of the Snapes in flight.

OoOoO

Naturally, the Headmaster and his wife were too clever by far to allow themselves to be caught unawares. So when they _were_ caught on film, it was very much by design. After Severus had told Hermione the tale of one of his little snakes, who was having a terrible time adjusting and being accepted because she was Muggleborn, Hermione’s heart was saddened. However, when she learned the little snake’s name—Elizabeth Creevey, younger sister of Colin and Dennis—she was shattered. She had a number of Colin’s original photographs in their quarters—in fact, a wonderful candid photo of Hermione, Harry, and Ron had pride of place on the sitting room mantle—and she could not think of anything more appropriate than allowing young Elizabeth to be the one to capture a picture of “the Snapes in flight.” For many things had changed in the years since the second war, but a muggleborn witch who’d had two older Gryffindor brothers being sorted into Slytherin was too much for even the most progressive Slytherin students to process easily. This young snake could use every advantage she could get, so the Snapes decided to deliver.

It was the work of but a moment for Hermione to be overheard musing in her first year Slytherin/Gryffindor class that she was hoping the weather would be cooperative on her birthday, as she and her husband had a longstanding tradition. She noted with satisfaction the gleam in young Elizabeth’s eyes.

OoOoO

Naturally, the resulting photograph made it into the _Prophet_ , although not by Miss Creevey’s hand, but try as she might, Hermione couldn’t be arsed to care. Little Elizabeth Creevey was, just like that, the belle of the Slytherin ball, and Hermione couldn’t have been happier (and truth be told, neither could Severus, though he’d have happily licked Merlin’s decrepit, withered ballsack before he would admit it out loud).

Hermione wasn’t altogether pleased with the renewed publicity, but she couldn’t lie—she absolutely adored the picture itself. In it, she had her legs wrapped around Severus’ waist like a young monkey clinging to its mother, and her arms were tightly encircling his neck. Her head was buried in the space between his neck and shoulders, but enough of her face was exposed to read the contented look that resided there. The school newspaper said nothing, but the _Prophet_ screamed, “Golden Girl of Gryffindor Caught in Lurid Mid-flight PDA With Headmaster!”

 _Amazing,_ Hermione thought to herself. _I’ll just be downstairs dying of embarrassment. Just like old times, really…_

Still…she thought, a smirk stealing across her face, for a girl afraid of flying, she had a pretty impressive resume. She’d flown on a broomstick, a hippogriff, a thestral, a dragon, and a Headmaster. Not bad. Not too bad at all.


End file.
